Draft-equalizer



Patented Nov. [5, I898.

C. A. LEE.

DRAFT EDUALIZER.

(Application filed July 5, 1898.

(No Model mwlllll ll 7/ Atlormg/J,

WITNESSES m: Nunms PETERS c0, PHOYO-LITHOU WASHINGTON. u. c.

Nrrn 'TATES CHARLES A. LEE, OF ESBON, KANSAS.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,399, dated November 15, 1898.

Application filed July 5, 1898. Serial No. 685,130. (No model.)

To aZl whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Esbon, in the countyof Jewell and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovementsin draft-equalizers and it consists in the novel construction, combi nation, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the appended claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a three-horse equalizer which is simple and inexpensive in construction, efficient in operation, capable of being applied to the tongues of'wagons and cultivators of various types, and adapted to automatically transfer the strain, so as to cause it to bear unequally on the horses on opposite sides of the tongue in the event that one of the horses is weaker than the other, thereby causing the lines of draft to be directly concentrated at all times toward the central line of the draft-pole or tongue.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a draft-equalizer constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is abottom plan view showing in dotted lines the equalizing action of the parts whereby draft strain is transferred from one side of the tongue to the other. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the reverse action of the parts.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, A represents the draft-pole or tongue, to the under side of which the draft and equalizing mechanism is preferably attached, although it may be applied on the upper side thereof and satisfactorily used. Arranged mainly at one side of the tongue is a transverse lever B, which is supported by a chain 0, connected thereto at its forward end by a clevis d, and the rear end of said chain extends back to near the rear end of the tongue and is connected thereto by a clevis e. A rod may, however, be employed in lieu of the chain and satisfactory results obtained. The inner end of the lever is free from connection with the tongue and projects thereunder a short distance on the opposite side of the tongue, as shown. Arranged on the op' posite side of the tongue from the lever B and in advance thereof is a shorter transverse lever F, which is 'pivotally connected at its inner end to the tongue by a bolt f and adjacent thereto by a bolt g to a compensating link I-l, said link being normally disposed at a diagonal angle thereto, as shown, and pivotally connected in turn at its rear end to the inner end of the long transverse lever by a bolt 1'. A strap J is bolted to the tongue at a point just in rear of the long transverse lever, and said strap extends forwardly under said lever and has its frontend secured by the bolt f, which serves as the fulcrum for the short transverse lever. This strap reinforces the pivot connection of the short transverse lever and acts as a support to limit the downward movement of the long transverse lever and guide the same when moving transversely to transfer the strain from one side to the other, as hereinafter set forth.

To the outer end of the short transverse lever is attached, by means of a clevis or a pivoted link 70, a singletree L, while to the outer end of the long lever is attached, by means of a similar clevis or a pivoted link m,

'a whifiletree M, which is provided at opposite ends thereof with pivoted links a for connection of singletrees O. The device as thus constructed is adapted for the attachment of three horse's, two being in practice connected up to the singletrees of the lever B on one side of the tongue and one to the singletree on the lever F on the opposite side of the tongue. The three singletrees are arranged in transverse alinement. The operation of the invention will be readily understood by reference to the drawings in connection with the above description, from which it will be apparent that under ordinary circumstances, where the horses are of substantially equal strength and weight, the draft strain will be equally distributed to them. When one of the horses is weaker, however, than the others, the positions of the parts must be varied to compensate for the difierence in draft on opposite sides of the tongue, and my invention automatically accomplishes this in a simple and efficient manner. This will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Then the single horse attached to the short lever I is weaker than either one of the horses attached to the long lever B, the preponderance of draft strain exerted on the latter will cause the same to move forwardly and slide inwardly to a slight extent and assume the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2, thereby shifting the compensating link I-I, shortening the distance between the two levers, and Varying the leverage so as to cause the draft strain to be equally distributed to all three animals. On the other hand, when the pull on the short lever F is proportionately greater, which does not ordinarily occur, but may sometimes exist to a slight extent, the compensating link II is straightened out from its slight diagonal disposition and the long lever shifted transversely in the reverse direction, thus accomplishing the same result.

My invention provides a draft-equalizer which may be readily and conveniently applied to wagons and cultivators of all types equipped with draft-poles or tongues, which is simple, inexpensive, and durable in construction, efficient in operation, and which is also less liable to get out of order than many of the complicated draft-equalizers heretofore employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a draft-equalizer, the combination with a draft-pole or tongue, of a long lever arranged mainly at one side thereof andhaving its inner end projecting to the opposite side, said lever being supported from the pole and adapted to have a limited compensating movement transversely thereof, a short lever pivoted at its inner end to the tongue, and a compensating link normally arranged at an angle to and pivotally connecting the inner ends of said levers, substantially as described.

2. In a three-horse draft-equalizer, the combination of a pole or tongue, a long lever arranged mainlyat one side but having its inner end projecting to the opposite side thereof, said lever being adapted to have a slight transverse compensating movement, a chain secured at its rear end to the tongue and at its front end to said lever, a short lever on the opposite side of the tongue and pivoted at its inner end thereto, and a compensating link pivotally connecting the inner ends of said levers, and said link being normally arranged at an angle thereto,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. LEE.

WVitnesses:

W. E. MALLORY, D. P. MOKEAN. 

